Statue on the Brattleboro Common

(C) 2026 Dale DiMauro

 

Statues are great opportunities to capture the human figure. They are put high up on a pedestal to increase their relevance, whether they are deserving or not. However, the way the light descends across their body during the course of the day, makes them quite captivating.

This statue can be found on the Brattleboro Common(VT) as part of the 1887 Civil War Soldier's Monument. Not long ago it was discovered that local black Americans who sacrificed for this country. were not being represented. This racial discrimination was amended with a new engraving at the foot of the statue.

I always wanted to paint a statute and so I did. I am sure I will paint many more in the future. This looser approach for the sky, with a wet wash, I believe, complements the subject matter of the figure.

Cigar Boxes

(C) 2026 Dale DiMauro

 

Cigar boxes are a neat and convenient way to store art supplies. They come in all kinds of sizes from rectangles, squares and the like.

This one I found at my local second hand store. It cost ten dollars and was in incredible condition. Some you have to air out for some time, to get rid of the cigar smell, but not this one. Also, the hinges were in great shape with a good clasp. Often there is hideous advertising on the top but I kind of like this one.

I primarily store fountain pens, pencils and the like which are easily accessible in my home studio. Also, you can stack many of these cigars boxes of similier dimensions on top of each other.

I have written on cigar boxes in the past but this one was too good to pass on.

Summer

(C) 2026 Dale DiMauro

The recent prolonged heat wave with high temperatures and high humidity sapped the energy out of me. It was hard to stay outside for any length of time. However, I did get some outside swimming in.

I swam twice in Lake Spofford which the New Hampshire Fish & Wildlife Game Department identified as the cleanest lake in New Hampshire. Where I was on the lake I did't see any European Milfoil, at all. It was lovely.

It's great to paint a summer scene. And to me these are the colors of summer.

 

Landscape Painting.

 

(C) 2026 Dale DiMauro

Landscape painting takes expression in all kinds of forms. Sometimes it is a great vista(ie. the Hudson River School) or a lovely garden detail. This watercolor may look illustrative and in fact, be illustrative, the result of direct painting while recently, watching Shakespeare in the Park.

This is a different kind of watercolor for me. Nevertheless, it was the back lighting of the woods which caught my attention in contrast to the dark foreground. That setting sun revealed a drama unmatched by the drama on the stage.

When painting outside I have learned all I really need is two or three brushes to complete a picture. I like the freshness of the colors in this picture.

(C) 2026 Dale DiMauro

 

Last night my wife and I attended a community theater production, Shakespeare in the Park. As we enjoyed the show, I made this watercolor sketch of the scene in front of me. The actors did a wonderful job, but I always enjoy watching the audience as well.

My wife is an aficionado on all things Shakespeare. She is more than willing to correct people or ask their opinion on modern interpretations of the various plays.

I did this watercolor on my lap while eating dinner outside in a lawn chair. It is always fascinating for me to observe people with their diverse postures and assortment of accumulated stuff that they lug everywhere. Also, this Shakespeare play brought out an eclectic group of dogs, which held their own, for the most part, even though there were many distractions.

Reflections & Expressions

(C) 2026 Dale DiMauro

Over time with practice one finds their way around the paper. By that I mean intuitively artists begin to know where to place a mark and start painting without hesitating or fussing about. The intimidation of a white sheet of paper is no longer really such a factor. 

I think this plays out as you learn how the paper accepts the pigment and the amount of time you have to manipulate the paint before it starts to dry. Then your knowledge of your palette comes in to play. You can mix colors based on past experiences, observe what is in front of you or experiment with new and unknown color combinations.

I like it when a little doodle turns into a landscape. Do you paint the tree first with the landscape around it or do you paint the landscape and add the tree later? 

When I doodle the landscape develops in it's own time. It progresses without expectations or rigid thinking.

There is an abstract quality to this watercolor which I find calming. The stillness of the implied water and the sense of a moment frozen in time. Both of these qualities are expressed through the reflections upon the water.

 

Crowell Park

(C) 2026 Dale DiMauro

 

This was painted after a wet, stormy Friday afternoon. Little did I know that trees and downed limbs were struck all over the tri-state region(MA/VT/NH). Allergies were killing me, I could barely breathe. Then it dawned on me - that in fact, it was allergies and nothing else that was bothering me. So I had throat coat tea and was much better off.

However, when I painted this watercolor big drops of water were still falling on me out of the sky. So I moved to a different picnic table with greater cover under a tree which opened up my vantage point, too. The rain cleared everybody out of the park. Before long a rainbow emerged toward's the East over the tree on the edge of the basketball court.

Compositionally, this basketball court in the foreground adds much needed contrast to all the green in the painting. This picture was painted rapidly as it was done on my walk home from downtown.

Sometimes the best paintings happen with the least planning or emotional input. Not that this is a great painting but there is a freshness in this picture which in my mind shows the potential of watercolor. I was forced to make rapid decisions, yet be flexible in my decision making.

Brooks Library Painting

(C) 2026 Dale DiMauro

 

My local library, Brooks Library in Brattleboro, VT currently has a dedicated watercolor station for those from the public who would like to give watercolor a try. When I was at the library yesterday, I gave it a go as the British say.

This is my quick watercolor using the libraries resources. These aren't the paints, brushes or paper I would normally use but they did the job. Plus, the paper didn't buckle at all. I just made this scene up to see what I could come with.

My only criticism is that there were no paper towels to clean-up the palette for the next person to use. I do like the vibrant colors which reminds me of the energy of spring. 

I would be curious what other people come up with.

The Season of Greens

(C) 2026 Dale DiMauro

 

Spring seems to have raced into summer, at least here in southern Vermont. A heat wave in the early parts of June seems out of character for where I live. Not long ago, 'The Strolling of the Heifers' dominated the first weekend of June, This same weekend is when the Hadley(MA) asparagus festival is  held. A gardening client in Brattleboro told me she had eaten all the asparagus she grew before the month of June.

One thing that is certain is the landscape is green. The pollen everywhere makes everything fuzzy green, too. What I traditionally like about this time of year are the greens and browns in the landscape. The greens are the new growth emerging while the brown is the earth and waterways stirred up with runoff and dry patchers of earth.

When I finished this watercolor sketch it made me think of Acadia National Park, in Bar Harbor, Maine. The rounded peak of Cadillac Mountain and the brown-tinged rock outcroppings are strong characteristics of that area. Even the yellow-greens of the foliage resonate with me.

Crowell Park

(C) 2026 Dale DiMauro

There is a lovely park, walking distance from my house. I have actually written about this park in the past but perhaps it needs more publicity. Most Vermonters would't want it to get any more attention, though. It is the name or lack thereof which I find perplexing. 

Most parks are named and have large signs stating where you are in the world - giving identity or history to it's origins. The only reason I know this is called Crowell Park is because it is on the Brattleboro, VT bus line. There is an actual bus stop and shelter on the edge of the property with the bus route posted.

Back to the park. This a well-used and beloved park. It sits adjacent to the Green Street School and many people use it and it's paths in warmer weather to bypass walking along Green Street or Western Avenue. Parents of young children frequently bring their children to the playground while young men are often seen running up and down the basketball court. Also, dog walkers often use the park. In addition, there is a little used softball field.

When it is a hot and humid day I walk home from downtown through it's lovely shaded trails and inviting open spaces which are more pleasant than the noise and hustle of the pavement. I do not know the actual size of the park but it is larger than meets the eye or at least feels larger than one would suspect.

I have painted in the park numerous times from various vantage points. Late last fall I liked to set-up my painting equipment on the perimeter retaining wall which was a good height as I didn't need to lug an easel to this location.

Earlier this week I set-up to paint on one of the picnic tables in the park by the basketball court which is sheltered by a dense hedge and lovely young tree bursting forth with new foliage. While a young asian man was shooting baskets by himself he became curious what I was doing. Eventually his basketball ball rolled over by me and we struck up a conversation. He was impressed by my use of color and handling of the paint at my disposal. It made him think of the park differently and why I focused on the area I did.

I think the Brattleboro Historical Society should do a feature on the Crowell Park in the local paper if it hasn't done one recently. It is certainly a vital part of the town.

View Towards Mt. Wantastiquet

(C) 2026 Dale DiMauro

 

Some days it is good to just get in a watercolor sketch. For whatever reason, putting pigment to paper in a rapid fashion is very satisfying. This let's the texture of the paper reveal itself intead of fighting it. It is sort of a 'letting go' experience.

This was painted in the early evening from one of my favorite 'stone' benches in downtown Brattleboro, VT.  I could hear but not see distant motor boats on the Connecticut River below.

I lifted pigment from the paper suggesting distant tree trunks across the river. At the time with the spring colors and shadows so lively, the values projecting from the landscape were so clear to interpret.

At this time of year, painting in the early evening is a good time to get outside. The high temperataures, humidity and sweat of the day has often settled.

Retreat Meadows

(C) 2026 Dale DiMauro

 

One of the great signs of spring is the arrival of birds. Both the activity of birds and the song of birds simply enriches our lives in ways we don't fully comprehend. Birds evolution with the landscape is complex and mis-understood. 

Just this past winter, I read a book(In Search of the Imperial Woodpecker, author?) about the Imperial woodpecker of Mexico which was nearly two feet tall. When this ivory-billed woodpecker hammered into the tall pine trees it resonated throughout the valley. The native people back in time considered it a sacred sound.

Stuff like this about birds is fascinating to me. I have gone on bird walks with organized groups this spring to learn what ever I can.

This watercolor was painted on a bird walk in early May with a great diversity of song up in the emerging tree canopies. The new growth and rich blues of the sky and water drew my attention,

After Winter Among the Retreat Meadows

(C) 2026 Dale DiMauro

 

Before the spring growth re-emerges, the spatial qualities of the landscape present themselves in new and exciting ways. With most of the tree foliage absent one can see deeper into the landscape and the character of the inlets and clumps of growth. 

The driftwood in the foreground, that has emerged from the long winter, has a sculptural quality that stands out in the landscape. Also, it is an appetizing landing strip for any bird to perch on.

I like the sky as much as the landscape in this picture. There is such vibrant energy above the tree line. I tried to bleed warm touches along with the blues both with soft and hard edges. Some of that energy is reflected in the water.

One of the qualities I noticed was the distant field through the evergreens. It adds a hazy, surreal quality to the landscape. However, to me the evergreens make the picture - a certain backdrop to the changing stage.

Brattleboro Common

(C) 2026 Dale DiMauro

 

While my car was in the shop this afternoon, I painted this plein air. It felt good to sit at a picnic table in the shade and paint this lovely tree. The more I observed this scene the more I became aware of how green the landscape has become.

I do find painting outside sharpens my observation skills and makes me focus on what is at hand. At times there was a lovely dappled light piercing through the layered canopies above my head. However, it would disappear as quickly as it would come upon me. As a matter of fact, I stained the lower part of the paper a light yellow to enable this quality to pop through the various greens.

This photograph does not do justice to this watercolor as much of the pigmentation and clarity of light has been lost.

By the end of the day I had painted two watercolors. If you include test sheets - then I produced 4 watercolors this afternoon. Many people like the test sheets as they have a rich saturation of pigments. Most of my test sheets I turn into little landscapes, too. 

Retrreat Farm

(C) 2026 Dale DiMauro

Recently,  I have been going on guided bird walks with groups in the Brattleboro, Vt area. I want to learn what I can before the bird population vanishes.

This watercolor I started today was based on a bird walk down by the Brattleboro Retreat Farm. I was running late because of other commitments but managed to get this much down on paper in a little over an hour. However, I didn't get to finish the figures in this picture.

As soon as I started this watercolor I was determined to include the figures and not add them at the end. So I sketched them in from the start along with the sky, hills and fields.

I have received a lot of positive feedback from people. Some people like the depth into the scene while others like the rich color tones. One woman even offered me some of her white gouache to highlight the gentleman's hair.

Brattleboro Retreat Farmland

(C) 2026 Dale DiMauro

 

Recently, I went on an organized bird walk with the Windham County Conservation District called, Birds on the Farm, at the Brattleboro Retreat. This took place in Brattleboro, VT at 7AM. There was a strong turnout - nearly twenty people - many knowledgable 'bird' people. Nevertheless, I learned a lot even though all the bird sightings and bird calls were a bit overwhelming.

We first were taken along the meadows which had a lot of bird activity. This was followed up by walking under the 'cow tunnel' which is basically a floodplain into an open field just above the meadows. You entered this open field via a boardwalk where there were some newly planted fruit trees at the edges of the open space.

As we left the boardwalk and stepped on to the soft turf of the field I could see patches of open water where Canadian geese were gliding by on the surface. I was struck from the distance I was at, of the sizable scale of these birds in relation to the other avian life we were seeing.

This watercolor was painted shortly after this experience. There was a freshness to the new seasonal growth which is their actual habitat and thus, new emerging bird activity.

Mount Wantastiquet, in New Hampshire can be seen in the distance.

Match box Automobiles to Paper

(C) 2026 Dale DiMauro

 

Match box automobiles are popular the world over. I have accumulated some match box cars by no accident. Most were purchased with drug store coupons.

They are great models to get the proportions of automobiles down on paper. Each car or truck has strong characteristics which can be assimilated on watercolor paper. Every car has interesting door shapes, front end configurations, windshields, hubcaps and colorings, etc.

It is of value to paint both the front and rear ends as well as the side views

With practice I can only get better. As always there is much work to be done. However, to integrate automobiles just like figures, into my watercolors, in a natural light, is a worthwhile effort. 

B.O.C. - End of Season

(C) 2026 Dale DiMauro

  

The end of the season at the Brattleboro Outing Club comes quickly. I am talking about the cross-country ski aspect of the BOC. The snow melts rapidly and before long some fog has moved in and the golf course is suddenly closed for the season. You will see closed signs up along the driveway.

This watercolor makes me think of this sudden ending every time I see this image. I can just feel the snow melting before my eyes.

Anyway, we are well into spring.....

However, there is one last gathering to finalize the winter season. This social for volunteers and other contributors is at the Marina in Brattleboro on Wednesday from 5:30 - 7:00 PM .

Brattleboro Brush & Palette Watercolor Group

(C) 2026 Dale DiMauro

 

Today, I was late but made it to the Brattleboro(VT) Brush & Palette group. By now I have gone several times. Most artists seem to paint in watercolor. This group meets at the Gibson-Aiken building in downtown Brattleboro.

This was the second watercolor I painted during my time there today. It was painted fast and wet. If you are observant you will see a silhouette of a figure on the right side of the picture. Whenever I step away and go to the bathroom people seem to scurry over and see what I have done.

In general, people share their opinions, experiences and knowledge as the time goes by. It is good to see what others are working on and the materials they are using. On the other hand it is easy to become distracted and to putter about.

Off the West River Trail

(C) 2026 Dale DiMauro

 

Water attracts a lot of activity. Sometimes it is bird migration, other times it is paddlers out for a jaunt up the river. 

Whenever I can, I walk along the West River Trail in Brattleboro, VT, partly for exercise but also to see what activity is on the river.

This day I really took note of the sculptural quality of the driftwood along the river's edge. Bird's used it to land on while the shadows it cast on the water were quite compelling.

From a compositional standpoint, the driftwood is a focal point of this watercolor. However, the subdued grays of the distant trees make the warm color pop forward and give the overall tone of the picture a calming affect.